Abstract: We report on a method of synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes percolated networks on silicon dioxide substrates using monodisperse Co and Ni catalyst. The catalytic nanoparticles were obtained by modified method of reverse micelles of bis-(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium in isooctane solution that provides the nanoparticle size control in range of 1 to 5 nm. The metallic nanoparticles of Ni and Co were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic-force microscopy (AFM). Carbon nanotubes were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition of CH4/H2 composition at temperature 1000 °С on catalysts pre-deposited on silicon dioxide substrate. Before temperature treatment during the carbon nanotube synthesis most of the catalyst material agglomerates due to magnetic forces while during the nanotube growth disintegrates into the separate nanoparticles with narrow diameter distribution. The formed nanotube networks were characterized using AFM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. We find that the nanotubes are mainly single-walled carbon nanotubes with high structural perfection up to 200 μm long with diameters from 1.3 to 1.7 nm consistent with catalyst nanoparticles diameter distribution and independent of its material.

Abstract: The topic of superconductivity in strongly disordered materials has attracted significant attention. These materials appear to be rather promising for fabrication of various nanoscale devices such as bolometers and transition edge sensors of electromagnetic radiation. The vividly debated subject of intrinsic spatial inhomogeneity responsible for the non-Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer relation between the superconducting gap and the pairing potential is crucial both for understanding the fundamental issues of superconductivity in highly disordered superconductors, and for the operation of corresponding nanoelectronic devices. Here we report an experimental study of the electron transport properties of narrow NbN nanowires with effective cross sections of the order of the debated inhomogeneity scales. The temperature dependence of the critical current follows the textbook Ginzburg-Landau prediction for the quasi-one-dimensional superconducting channel I c approximately (1-T/T c)(3/2). We find that conventional models based on the the phase slip mechanism provide reasonable fits for the shape of R(T) transitions. Better agreement with R(T) data can be achieved assuming the existence of short 'weak links' with slightly reduced local critical temperature T c. Hence, one may conclude that an 'exotic' intrinsic electronic inhomogeneity either does not exist in our structures, or, if it does exist, it does not affect their resistive state properties, or does not provide any specific impact distinguishable from conventional weak links.

Abstract: We analyze the evolution of the normal and superconducting properties of epitaxial TiN films, characterized by high Ioffe-Regel parameter values, as a function of the film thickness. As the film thickness decreases, we observe an increase of the residual resistivity, that becomes dominated by diffusive surface scattering for d≤20nm. At the same time, a substantial thickness-dependent reduction of the superconducting critical temperature is observed compared to the bulk TiN value. In such high-quality material films, this effect can be explained by a weak magnetic disorder residing in the surface layer with a characteristic magnetic defect density of approximately 1012cm−2. Our results suggest that surface magnetic disorder is generally present in oxidized TiN films.